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Food for Living: Create Your Own Path
By Henry Ukazu
Greetings Destiny Friends,
It is a well-acknowledged fact that the way you make your bed is how you will lie on it. This implies that nobody will literally give you success; you must demand it. No great or successful man/woman ever succeeded by luck, no, they took a reasonable risk by creating their own path which worked for them.
Just like there are many ways to kill a rat, there are also many ways to success. The question you need to ask yourself is what path am I willing to thread on? In my first published book, I had a chapter focused on “Understanding Your Uniqueness”. In the chapter, I stressed knowing what’s unique about you. You can’t succeed in life trying to be like somebody else. You can imitate someone, but you can never imitate their style. Their style is what makes them unique. It’s just like singing, dancing, writing, painting or drawing or any talented or skilled work which distinguishes a creative person.
It is quite unfortunate in our contemporary society that there’s so much imitation. What most people fail to understand is that imitation is limitation. In the journey of life, you must create your path. Do you know that the whole world sets apart the man who knows where he’s headed? Visionary leaders are always misunderstood because of their ideas and dreams. Many see their ideas as unattainable, but they fail to see what the person is seeing. The truth is that we all might sit in the same classroom, but we don’t hear, understand and comprehend the same thing. We all might be walking together, but we don’t see the same thing. We all experience pain, but we don’t feel the same thing.
For you to truly succeed, you must create your own path. Creating your own path entails knowing yourself, your purpose, and the legacy you would like to create or leave behind. You don’t have to care much about what other people say. Don’t get me wrong, it is good to hear the opinion of others, but the ultimate decision is up to you to take. This is because you are the architect of your life. Nobody knows you more than you know yourself.
Your path maybe uncommon, and that’s okay. For example, your joy in life may be to be an entrepreneur, employee, a minister of the gospel, or even an academic. All that is important is your happiness and fulfillment. You shouldn’t be concerned with the kind of lifestyle or choice of another person. It’s sad to note that most people judge success by money alone. Don’t get me wrong, money is good, but it shouldn’t be to the detriment of your peace of mind, your health, and most especially your fulfillment in life.
Identified below are ways one can create his own path:
Have a vision
We all have dreams, but sadly, many of us die without accomplishing our dreams. Growing up, we all have dreams of what we would like to be, but as we grow older, the vicissitudes of life make us settle for what is available, very few determined minds dared to live their dreams even when it seems unpopular to most people. If I may ask, what’s your vision? If you can create your vision, the next thing for you is to create goals that support the vision. When the vision is created, the onus is on you to listen to the inner still voice within you. Do yourself a favour and stop listening to other people. Remember, you are creating your path and not their path.
Follow Your Intuition
Intuition is our innate inclination towards a certain behavior. Basically, it is your instincts. Generally, your intuition will guide you in the direction that you need to go. It can be hard to hear our intuition at times, especially if we are not in the habit of listening to it. To know if you have the right promptings, you’ll have peace of mind whenever you are working on purpose.
Don’t Be Scared
Fear is a natural human emotion. We all feel it occasionally. Fear is one of the killers of dreams and opportunities. No one said you have to be the bravest person in the world in order to live your dream. But you do have to be willing to face your fears and go for it anyways. Fear can mean face everything and rise or false evidence appearing real. Anyone you decide to pursue is your choice.
In order to create your path, fear should be the least thing in your mind, as a matter of fact, you should be afraid of failing. Fear should motivate you. If you believe in your idea, you shouldn’t be afraid of walking in the path. It’s okay to feel afraid, but please don’t let those fears stop you. You can literally overcome the fear by taking a risk.
Stand for what you believe in
If you don’t stand for something in life, you will fall for anything. A great philosopher once said, in matters of principle, stand firm like a rock, but in matters of taste, fluctuate like a current. If you have a cause or vision you are passionate about, you will encounter challenges that may tempt you to give up, but your ability to stand your ground is what will define you. A typical example of a man that stood his ground for what he believes in is the former President of South African, Nelson Mandela. He fought against the apartheid laws in South Africa. He was jailed for twenty-seven years, but at the of the day, he was elected the President of South Africa.
It should be noted that there will be an associated risk when you decide to choose your path. You might win, you might lose. The mistake most people make in life is not taking worthy risks. Some risk is literally unreasonable. The worthy risk is a calculated risk. So, why not take the risk and join the millionaires? To know an example of a worthy risk; if as a single man you see a lady you like, have the courage to let her know your honest thoughts towards her, the worst response you’ll get is a no, a rebuff, or even humiliation. However, you might still be fortunate to get a positive answer because you may never know if she’s admiring you without your knowledge. So why not take that risk and be satisfied that you have done your bit as opposed to living in regret tomorrow.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a mindset coach and public speaker. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the author of the acclaimed book Design Your Destiny – Actualizing Your Birthright To Success and President of gloemi.com. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as the winner of the just concluded Ondo State governorship election, held on Saturday, November 16, 2024.
The Returning Officer for the election Olayemi Akinwumi, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State declared Aiyedatiwa winner of the election on Sunday, extending the governor’s stay at the Government House in Alagbaka, Akure.
Governor Aiyedatiwa polled 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival and a former deputy governor of the state Ajayi Agboola who flew the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag. He scored 117,845 votes, more than twice lower than the APC candidate.
“That Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of the APC having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” the returning officer said at exactly 2:30 pm at the INEC collation centre in Akure.
The declaration came hours after the collation of results for the election began in the early hours of Sunday. Although the collation centre went on breaks, the APC took a commanding lead with over 200,000 votes ahead of the PDP.
The final results showed that the APC won the election in a landslide, clearing all 18 local government areas.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
There is no gainsaying the fact that everyone desirous of making impact in life must live a life of purpose. This is where knowledge and information come to play. It is these knowledge and information that will set an individual apart from his contemporaries.
I strongly believe, if one is not informed, they are ill-informed, and when they are ill-informed, they can’t perform well in any given endeavour. This is because information leads to reformation and transformation. We can therefore, confidently say that information leads to formation because everyone is a product of what they know.
Knowledge acquisition is one of the best things that can happen to anyone. People with knowledge are revered, and highly respected. Having knowledge is like having money. People from all walks of life will seek you.
There are different kinds of knowledge, and they include Revealed Knowledge, which comes from those who wrote the Bible and Intuitive Knowledge, which comes from the mind. It is the ability to gain knowledge without conscious reason or explanation.
Others are Empirical Knowledge, which is information gained through observation, experimentation, and direct experience, rather than through theoretical reason or intuition; Authoritative Knowledge, which is the knowledge a man has because of his expertise in a particular field; and finally but not the least, Rational Knowledge, which is a form of knowledge that uses reasoning and philosophy to understand the world.
From this illustration, a decisive mind can see that knowledge is priceless. Knowledge is like education. It can provide security and access. Even the Book of life says in Proverbs 4:13, “your education is your life, guard it very well”; and in Hosea 4:6 that “my people perish for lack of knowledge”.
From my personal experience in life, apart from death, one of the greatest levelers of all time is education. This is because the child of a certified pauper can become a man of means tomorrow if properly educated. That explains why children from humble backgrounds ought to take their education very seriously, especially if they don’t have affluence.
On a personal note, I come from a very humble background, my late parents didn’t have the opportunity of acquiring a decent education, but they knew the value of education and endeavored to give me and my siblings a decent education. In retrospect, when I look back and see some of my contemporaries whose parents couldn’t give them a decent education, I bless my late parents because education has exposed me to lots of opportunities in the United States, and the global world in addition to granting me an audience with the high and mighty in society.
Sometimes, when I look at my modest achievement, I’m deeply humbled because I know it is the grace of God. Who am I to author two amazing trailblazers’ books, get featured and profiled by the New York Times, engage in high level conversation with leaders of thought and captains of industries. Apart from the grace of God, intentional seeking of knowledge, and wise counsel from mentors and strategically positioning myself have been some of the cornerstone to my success.
Imagine if my late parents didn’t give me a decent education and opportunity of travelling to the United States, most of these opportunities and exposure wouldn’t have been readily available.
When one is decently enlightened, educated and informed about life, their level of reasoning and understanding differ from an ordinary man. If one desires to go far in life, one must seek knowledge.
It is your knowledge that sets you apart from others.
According to Dr. Yomi Garnett, an accomplished Ghostwriter, “If you are a man of great knowledge, people will have great respect for you. If you are a man of great wisdom, people will have great reverence for you. And if you are a man of both, great knowledge and great wisdom, you will be the most eminent of men. But in real terms, people don’t care how much you know, or how much wisdom you have, unless they know how much you care.”
The moral of this quote is that despite the knowledge and information at one’s disposal, if one lacks empathy, their knowledge, experience and whatever they have mean nothing.
The importance of knowledge cannot be overemphasized. In our contemporary society, a fast way of attracting opportunities is by showcasing the knowledge at one’s disposal. It is so sad that many people don’t take time to read, research and learn new trends applicable in their industry, and in the world generally and as such, they find it difficult to fit in and grow.
It is instructive to note that when you seek knowledge, opportunities will seek for you. A major reason people are poor is simply because they are not solving problems and to solve problems, one ought to have understanding. Do you know that if you don’t have money, the reason is often because you are not solving a problem, or you are not solving enough problems, or you are not solving the right problem or you are not solving problems for the right people. Generally, we make money because we have something unique to offer to the world. Therefore, to solve problems, one must have knowledge and information.
We currently live in an age of technological, where skills, talent and creativity are in high demand. Any progressive being that desires to go far must be intentional in seeking knowledge. Successful acquisition of knowledge, information and understanding can lead to discernment and wisdom.
In conclusion, as you journey towards life, if you want to make an impact, seek opportunities, and earn more money, do yourself a favour by endeavoring to seek knowledge, wisdom, and information. You can’t get these by sitting on your sofa or staying in your comfort zone.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the founder of Gloemi. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate, creative writer and author of Design Your Destiny Design Your and Unleash Your Destiny. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Daniel Bwala as Special Adviser, Media and Public Communications (State House).
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, announced this in a statement, on Thursday.
A former aide of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Bwala worked actively for his former principal who lost to Tinubu.
However, after the elections, he worked his way into the camp of Tinubu, sparking controversy.
Onanuga also announced the appointments of three directors-general of various agencies.
They are:
(1) Mr. Olawale Olopade — Director-General, National Sports Commission
(2) Dr. Abisoye Fagade — Director-General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism
(3) Dr. Adebowale Adedokun — Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement
Olopade, the new Director-General of the National Sports Commission, is a sports administrator with many years of experience in the sector.
He served as commissioner of youth and sports in Ogun state and was chairman of the local organising committee of the 2024 National Sports Festival.
The new Director-General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, Dr. Abisoye Fagade is a marketing communication professional. He is the founder and managing director of Sodium Brand Solutions.
Adedokun, the new helmsman of the Bureau of Public Procurement, was the director of Research/Training and Strategic Planning at the bureau before his appointment.
Daily Trust
